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Pirates (Society)
"Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate's life for me!" The waters of Athas hold as many dangers as its lands, mountains, caves or deserts. Though ferocious Krakens, enchanting sirens and ravenous Sahuagin populate sailors' tavern-tales, the most terrifying creatures of the sea aren't monsters at all. Rather, they are those once-civilized peoples who now ply the seas, preying on the innocent and loading their ships down with stolen treasure and weeping slaves. They are known as Pirates. Piracy is the term given to robbery at sea, or just off shore, by an agent without commission from a sovereign nation. Those who commit the act of piracy--and by extension robbery, pillaging or plundering at sea--are known as pirates. Few areas of open water are free from pirate action, and even the winding rivers and streams of the northern Riverlands '''contain their own unique brand of waterborne brigands. Adding to this ubiquity is a pirates' viciousness--most are criminals and those who survive and thrive in their chosen trade are the strongest and meanest. Sailors might go their whole lives without seeing a Kraken, yet almost all who spend their lives riding the waves have a story or two to tell about a run-in with pirates. Few of them end happily There are almost as many different types of pirates as there are fish in the sea. Some are icons of the traditional tavern stories; sailing enormous galleons, robbing ships of their loot and murdering everyone aboard. Others sail smaller ships and keep close to the coastline, raiding towns and villages. Some specialize in slavery, while others focus on commanding larger fleets to secure political power. A few work as government-approved privateers, hunting an enemy nation's merchant ships and growing fat on seized cargo--all out of patriotic duty, of course. Pirates can be found anywhere in Athas where merchant ships dare to go. However, there are regions with a larger presence than others. The '''Inner Sea has the highest population of pirates in Athas. Most notably, in the Cut-Throat Islands, as well as the Dragon Coast; both areas boast a high concentration of pirates. Indeed, almost any journey across the Inner Sea--whether it be north to south or east to west--is bound to encounter at least one pirate vessel, such is their prominence in that region. These pirates tend to adhere closer to the traditional "pirate" look that many think of when talking about pirates. The lands around the Brevoy Waterways, also known as the Riverlands, is also rife with pirates, albeit of a different variety. These pirate sail slim ships that are easier to navigate through the winding, dangerous waters of the Brevoy rivers. Crews and groups tend to be smaller than pirates found elsewhere, to accommodate the smaller size of their fleets. Most notable are the Aldori Swordlords (see below). The Blue Sea, which separate Spira and Dunn, is also famous for its pirate activity, which recently experienced a surge of activity due to the defeat of Nirsoch the Grizzled. These pirates tend to sail wide, thick, sturdy ships able to break through fields of thick ice and hold steady in the intense, frozen storms often encountered in the great lake. These ships are often of Dwarven-make, as opposed to Dunnish longships and most often linger near the coast to prey on small villages and port towns along the way. The Frozen Sea, by Rath, has its own pirates: groups of silent killers who cross their icy lake in large, flat rafts outfitted with a large canvas to protect from the bitter winds. Such ships are ill-suited to open water and do not stray far from sight of land. However, they are very fast and high maneuverable, and with their small size, are often hard to spot. Such pirates often attack at night or during storms. Many hide in ice fields or make their homes in faux-baronies atop small glaciers. The Grey Lake is relatively free of pirates, due to the heavily patrolled water. However, the Dead Neck (the narrow river that connects the Grey Lake to the Inner Sea) is heavily pirated. Deadbridge is a major port here, one where slaves are often taken. It has become one of the most powerful slaver cities in Athas, selling the vast majority to Nimbal Nobility. Piracy is also found near and around the Free Island of Orre and the Shining Sea to the west, most notably in the Nelanthir Islands and the Iron Islands. 'These pirates are often compared to the pirates of the Inner Sea. Timeline *'918 CR: Scandivar raiders begin attacking the eastern coast of Arthedain with some frequency. Remains of their ancient colonies and rhinestones marking their homes are still found on the shoreline today. The term "pirate" is first used to describe the raiders. *'1475 CR:' Scandivar longships raid heavily along the east coast of Osirian and in the region now known as Rikea and the Dragon Coast. *'1560 CR:' The Red Mantis cult arrives in the Osiri Frontier and begin construction of the Crimson Citadel. They raid Arthedain ships frequently. *'1597 CR:' The Red Mantis found the city o'f Ilizmagorti '''on the shore of the Osiri Frontier's lagoon harbor. This would be the first major "pirate haven". *'1698 CR:' Ilizmagorti is razed to the ground by a coalition led by Arthedain fleets, in an effort to rid the Inner Sea of pirate activity. *'1721 CR:' The Year of Rent Sails. Raiding by slavers out of '''the Greenbelt '''increases dramatically along the Inner Sea's northern coast. *'2111 CR:' '''Spiran' explorers discover the disturbing ruins of Ghol-Gan on the coast of the region now known as the Cut-Throat Islands. The explorers deem the coastline cursed and haunted. *'2139 CR:' Raiders target trade ships ferrying goods between Spira, Terminor and Eregion. Pirates form small communities in hidden harbors in the islands near Ghol-Gan, where they hide from Spiran warships. The area is known as "The Shackles". *'2328 CR:' A tavern brawl in the pirate haven of Troxell in the Riverlands erupts into a riot. The city burns to the ground. This calls for the creation of a "Code of Conduct" Pirates are expected to uphold, known as the Pirata Codex. *'2329 CR:' Geb petrifies the invading army of the Pirate Queen Mastrien Slash, creating the FIeld of Maidens. *'2467 CR:' A band of Sahuagin raiders board the Fairwind Cutter and slaughters the entire crew. This event is often referred to in Pirate shanties. *'2558 CR:' Captain Cabriem Maskyr becomes the first Pirate Lord of Riddleport. *'2640 CR: '''Sargava secedes from Rikea and Baron Grallus pays the '''Free Captains of the Shackles' for protection against the inevitable Rikean backlash. The "Cut-Throat Islands" are founded. When the Rikean fleet arrives almost 3 years later, it is quickly sunk. *'2674 CR:' The Free Captains of the Shackles unite under the banner of the Hurricane King to harass the fleets and merchants of the north. surrounding nations warn this constitutes an "act of war". *'2677 CR:' The first Captain's Regatta is held in the Shackles. Six of the 17 ships that enter are scuttled, capsized or lost at sea. *'2680 CR:' Captain Gaston Cromarcky positions himself as Overlord of Riddleport. Stability settles the notorious pirate port. *'2681 CR:' The Glorious Age of the Free Captains begins, a time of unparalleled prosperity for the Shackles pirates that continues to the present day. *'2699 CR:' The Nimbali corsair Morgan the White gathers pirate allies to form the Protectorate of the White Marquis in the Riverlands. *'2700 CR:' Spiran officials seize control of Riddleport during their absorption of Avistan. ' ' *'2704 CR:' White Estrid leads 15 longships in a raid against Nirsoch the Grizzled, a famous Dunn captain, in the Blue Sea. The pirates' victory succeeds in attracting more pirate activity to the area. *'2705 CR:' The Gray Corsairs sink three Nimbali slave galleons in the Inner Sea. *'2707 CR:' Urdul Bazzak becomes the Black Marquis and ruler of''' Deadbridge'. Pirate Society Pirates have been around since people began transporting goods across waterways. The earliest known pirates were Scandivar raiders who operated on the western coast of the Inner Sea. Though chased by animals by the navies of nearby nations, pirates were far away from being a bunch of lawless thugs. Most of them live by the ''Pirata Codex, more commonly known as the Pirate Code (see below). Many pirate crews have some type of ship's articles that each member of the crew have to sign. In many of these articles, divisions of power are discussed. Many pirate ships are run by a Captain. The Captain of a pirate ship is the ultimate power on board the ship. Many pirate captains rule their ships with an iron fist, and only a few dared to challenge their rule. Such captains earned their titles through blood--they hijacked the ship (or were present during a mutiny) and, through intimidation, murder and propaganda, became the ship's ultimate authority. Such ships operate on fear and are places of constant scheming and in-fighting. In other cases, a pirate captain was voted on by the crew and his authority was only absolute during the heat of battle or when giving chase. At other times, the captain's wishes could be dismissed by a simple majority vote of the crew. Pirates tended to like their captains to be not too aggressive and not too meek: a good captain had to know when a potential victim was too strong for them, without letting weaker quarry get away. Well-run and organized pirate ships were more successful, while ships that lacked discipline and leadership generally didn't last very long. The duty of the pirate captain was to secure plunder for his crew. However, even those weren't secure in their positions. Mutinies, where the crew violently rebels against their captains (often marooning or killing them), are a real danger to any pirate captain, no matter how dangerous or altruistic. Pirate crews include humanoids of all nations, races and religions of Athas. Women are considered equals to men among pirates. In fact, many of the most successful pirate captains in Athas' history have been women. Most pirates despise slavery, despite the prominence of Nimbali and Orc slave vessels in the Inner Sea. Pirate tactics are thought to be derived from old, Scandivar Viking raiding tactics, which they would often use to attack enemy ships. These tactics are considered unconventional by modern naval standards, and often employ dirty tricks and distraction to close distance between two ships before throwing grappling hooks (or ladders, or some other method of climbing). Piracy involves a lot of surprise attacks and on-deck fights (as opposed to ballista, catapults or crossbows). Many pirates employ the use of spellcasters, both''' arcane''' and divine, as well as fire. Such tactics are considered illegal by the Standard of War. Pirate vs. Privateer When discussing buccaneers of any type, there are two classifications: pirate and privateer. While some use the two terms interchangeably, they actually describe two different kinds of scalawag. A pirate is, at its most basic, a criminal who commits robbery at sea. A pirate is loyal to no nation or god, acting on their own behalf or for the good of their crew and/or captain. Thus, pirates are never associated with any kind of sovereign power, be it government or religious. A privateer, however, is much like a pirate but they are sponsored by a government or church. Such crews are staffed and captained by reformed criminals or those criminals who wish to repay their debt to society in a way other than prison. Privateers most often serve in the capacity of being "Pirate Hunters". However, they can also be hired to prey on merchant ships of rival nations. For example, Privateers were used by Rikea during the Rikean Rebellion, hired to prey upon Spiran trade ships or military vessels. Hlondeth also frequently employs Privateers and Spira has been employing them in recent decades to help cull the Pirate problem of the Inner Sea. The Pirate's Code Ships cannot function without order and structure. Every captain has their own preferred rules and enforces these edicts in different ways. While the rules may vary from ship to ship, pirates as a group have developed a general code of conduct. When pirates capture an enemy ship, they sometimes offer the crew a choice: join the pirate's crew or face slavery/ death. A crew willing to turn pirate must sign or swear to a code of conduct. The code was first established by the Pirate Lords in the wake of the burning of Troxell. Despite being drawn ion by the Pirate Lords themselves, the code is seen more as guidelines than actual rules, though adherence differs by individual. Regardless, most pirates are expected to adhere to the Code most of the time. Some articles of the Code mention most common punishment to be delivered if a sailor breaks a specific rule. Others leave such matters to the captain's discretion. Punishments include whippings, flogging, being put ashore at port, marooning, keelhauling and death--naturally, vicious and criminal captains tend to gravitate more toward sadistic punishments. A pirate put ashore at port is dismissed in a loud and obvious manner, so word soon spreads of their disgrace, inhibiting their ability to sign on with another crew. Marooning involves putting a pirate ashore on a deserted island with nothing but a canteen of water and a knife. These islands are often tiny, with little vegetation and practically no animal life. Marooned pirates face a slow death by starvation or a quick death through suicide. Keelhauling is the practice of running a long rope underneath a boat and tying the offending pirate to the other end, resulting in being dragged overboard and under the ship, which is often encrusted with a coat of sharp-edged barnacles. If the pirate is dragged quickly, the rapid passage along the barnacles results in deep cuts and occasionally limb loss or complete decapitation. In contrast, by pulling slower, the crew can allow the offending pirate to sink farther and avoid most risk of lacerations, although this often results in drowning. Pirates killed at sea are most frequently stabbed and unceremoniously thrown overboard, where they are devoured by sharks or other marine monsters. Another, more theatrical execution style involves binding and sometimes weighting down the condemned sailor and forcing them to step off into the sea and drown--a practice known as "walking the plank". The Code of the Pirate Brethren The following are only a sample of the known rules contained in the Pirata Codex. These are the most commonly known and widely followed of the Code, although many, many more rules exist. For example, some rules contain strict regulations on eye patch color and peg leg size. *Befriend others wisely. *Never give another pirate away. *Whoever spots a treasure-laden ship can pick the best weapon for themselves. *Every crew member is to have an equal share of the treasure. Anybody caught taking more than their share or refusing to report its discovery in a timely manner shall be marooned. Extra shares shall be awarded to the Captain, and also to the Quartermaster, the Shipwright and Officers to a lesser degree. *Any man who falls behind is left behind. *Every member of the crew must tend to their own weapons and keep them ready for battle. *Anyone who shows cowardice in the face of an enemy or deserts in battle shall have his throat cut or be marooned. *No crew member shall hide his abilities from the crew. A sailor who can perform magic must do so for the good of the ship. *No crew member shall take a position on a new ship or talk of leaving until they have earned 100 gold pieces worth of treasure through his labors. *No fighting is allowed between crew mates. Quarrels shall be set aside until shore leave, at which point the quarrel may be settled using violent means. *All crew members must obey the captain and his officers. *Any pirate found stealing from crew mates shall receive 30 lashes and be put ashore at port. *Any crew member who loses a limb in service to the ship shall be paid 80 gold pieces for its loss. *Any person who refuses to serve abroad a pirate ship must die. *Trading for products fair and square mean the seller can do as they like, including resell at a profit. *The leader of an attacked vessel or settlement may, at any time, declare the Rite of Parlay. At this time, all fighting must cease until negotiations cease, either way. No harm may come to any party during Parlay. '' '' The Privateer's Code Like Pirates, Privateers also have a code they closely follow. This was partially done so as to appease the many former pirates sailing on Privateer crews. Such crews were used to a certain way of life, which included adhering to the Code. Also called the "Gentleman's Code". *A Privateer shall not engage in one-on-one combat with an unarmed foe. *Passengers and prisoners who may be objects of lust to crew members are not to be imposed upon or harassed. *A Privateer shall never refuse satisfaction to an honorable opponent. *A Privateer shall always accept the surrender of an honorable foe--such prisoners may later be ransomed or press-ganged into the crew. *A Privateer shall not beat or mutilate slaves or prisoners. *A Privateer shall never attack from concealment nor strike down an unsuspecting foe from behind. *A Privateer shall take what he deserves by virtue of their strength of arms, but shall not plunder the poor. *A Privateer's word is as strong as steel. He shall never break a promise nor renege on an agreement. *A Privateer shows discretion in conversation and does not pry into matters that don't concern him. *No magic is to be used by any crew member. Shipboard Conduct Many of the following rules are common sense, and may be enforced on pirate or privateer vessels. *Any sailor caught with an open flame below deck shall suffer 10 lashes. All candles and lanterns are to be extinguished at sunset. *No sailor is to bring aboard a husband, wife or child, person of ill virtue or any passenger unbeknownst to the Captain. Both sailor and passenger face marooning. *Every sailor must do his fair share of work, and neither shirk their duty or pass it off to others, or face 20 lashes. *A ship's bard may rest 1 day a week, but must stand ready to entertain on all others. *Every sailor receives an equal amount of food and drink, and 1 ration of liquor every day. Any sailor found taking more than their share of food or drunk on duty shall be flogged or receive 10 lashes. *A sailor who suspects a hazard, be it storm cloud, sea monster or enemy ship, must raise the alarm immediately. Any sailor who sees an unfamiliar sea monster must inform the captain immediately. *A sailor shall not speak to any creature of the sea without the Captain's permission. *A sailor must not speak ill of the dead lest they summon restless spirits to the ship. Pirate Slang Pirates and sailors use many technical terms on board, and they have also developed their own shorthand at sea. This slang can be divided into two distinct categories: Jargon and Undercommon. Jargon Jargon has become common not only on ships, but in port cities, particularly in dock districts. *'Adrift:' Floating loose at sea. Can also mean someone who has run away or gone missing. *'Anchor:' A person who wears heavy metal armor. *'Binnacle:' A glass-topped box fixed to a stand on the deck. The binnacle houses a compass. *'Bubbles:' A person who can't swim. *'Cannon:' A spellcaster with flashy spells, particularly offensive spells. *'Captain's Dance:' When two ships meet in open water and wish to parlay, each ship sends out a boat. The two captains meet on one ship while the First Mates meet with the other. *'Chase:' A ship being pursued by pirates. *'Coaming:' A raised lip around a hatch to keep water from spilling below deck. *'Fancy Jacket: '''Someone who dresses and talks like a pirate but with no real sailing experience. *'Fast Colors:' A country's flag. Privateers often fly pirate or merchant flags to lure pirates close, then raise their true flags when combat begins. *'Fishslicer:' A small blade, like a dagger or short sword. *'Following Sea:' Waves going in the same direction as the ship. A good omen. *'Frenzy:' A fight, most commonly used to referred to tavern brawls. *'Gallows Jumper:' Someone who has died and come back to life, such as through the ''Raise Dead spell. *'Holystone:' Bars of sandstone used to scrub the deck. *'Jack Tar:' A pirate. *'Lights:' Lungs. (The "lights" in famous exclamations like "I'll have your liver and your lights!" or "I'll knock your lights out!" actually refer to lungs, rather than eyes, as landlubbers sometimes believe). *'Lubber:' A clumsy or stupid person. Sometimes called "Landlubber", as well. *'Melora's Fingers:' A Cat-o-Nine-Tails, or Scourge. *'Paying Cargo:' Passengers. *'Running Lunch:' A rat, gull or large insect. Sailors sometimes joke that a new crewman must catch himself a running lunch. *'Scaly:' A fish. Can also refer to a Sea Monster. *'Sea Legs:' The ability to maintain balance on a rolling ship deck. *'The Sweet Trade:' Piracy. *'Windbound:' A spellcaster, specifically one who possesses weather magic (like a Druid). *'X-er: '''A treasure hunter--someone always looking for "the X that marks the spot". Can also mean a Pathfinder. Undercommon The other branch of Pirate slang has to do with Undercommon, a language all its own. While originally a shorthand, rhyming slang developed by smugglers, it has branched out to include criminals and low-lives of many walks of life, and it is commonly spoken on Pirate ships. It is considered the official language of the Cut-Throat Islands, although this is largely considered to be a joke. Undercommon is a form of phrase construction based heavily on Westron, more widely known as Common. While most commonly used by smugglers and pirates, it can be heard in many poorer districts in large cities or among criminal company. The construction involves replacing a common work with a rhyming phrase of two or three words and then, in almost all cases, omitting the secondary rhyming word (which is thereafter implied) in a process called hemiteleia, making the origin and meaning of the phrase elusive to listeners not in the know. The most frequently cited examples involves the replacement of "stairs" with "apples and pears". Following the usual pattern of omission, "and pears" is dropped and "stairs" is referred to as "apples". Thus the spoken phrase "I'm going up the apples" means "I'm going up the stairs". In a similar fashion, "note" is replaced by "bob" (bob and float); "wife" is replaced by "trouble" (trouble and strife); "eyes" by "mincers" ('mince pies); "wig" by "syrup" (syrup of figs) and "feet" by "plates" (plates of meat). Thus, a construction of the following type could conceivably arise: "It nearly knocked me off me plates--he was wearing a syrup! So I ran up the apples quick jot a bob to me trouble and said I couldn't believe me mincers". In some examples, the meaning is further obscured by adding a second iteration of rhyme and truncation to the original rhymed phrase. For example, the word "Aris" is often used to indicate the buttocks. This is the result of a double rhyme, starting with the original rough synonym "ass", which rhymes with bottle and glass, leading to "bottle". "Bottle" was then rhymed with "Aristotle" and truncated to "Aris". Ships Every pirate prefers a specific type of ship. Some value speed and stealth, while others demand the largest, most battle-worthy craft available. This selection can depend heavily upon geography. Each entry below lists the ship's length and its minimum and maximum number of passengers. *'Rowboat:' Sometimes seen in the Riverlands, but mainly used as lifeboats on larger vessels. 10 ft, 1-3. *'Jolly-Boat:' A larger rowboat often used to ferry passengers to and from a larger ship. 20 ft, 2-10. *'Cutter:' A single-masted sailboat. Very light and fast. 30-50 ft, 4-104. *'Sloop:' Similar to a cutter, but with a more forward mast suitable for many different kinds of wether. 30-50ft, 4-104. *'Keelboat:' Look similar to oversized rowboats with a cabin in the middle. 50-80 ft, 4-104. *'Barge:' A flat-bottomed boat made for river travel. Barges can be towed by larger boats. 80-150 ft, 50-150. *'Longship:' Use both oars and sails, and are generally used as war ships. Their shallow draft makes them maneuverable along coastlines. 75-125 ft; 50-150. *'Brigantine (Brig):' A light, two-masted sailing ship. The forward sail is square-rigged. 30-50 ft, 20-140. *'Caravel:' A light sailing ship with two or three masts and multiple decks. 50-100 ft, 20-140. *'Carrack:' A heavier sailing ship with three or four masts and multiple decks. 50-100 ft, 20-140. *'Frigate:' A heavy warship with a broad deck suitable for holding siege weapons. Frigates are the fastest and most maneuverable warship on the open sea. 75-120 ft, 60-220. *'Galleon:' A warship with three or four masts and a distinctive square galley at the stern. 75-120 ft; 60-220. *'Man-of-War:' One of the heaviest warships, propelled primarily by sails. 90-130 ft; 60-220. *'Xebec:' A three-masted warship with a distinctive overhanging bow. 90-130 ft, 60-220. *'Dromon:' A two-masted galley powered by rowing or sailing. 100-150 ft; 200-400. *'Slave Galley: An enormous ship powered mainly by rowing. 200-320 ft., 200-500. Flag Types On the sea, the position of your flag can mean the difference between life and death. Even pirates prefer to obey flag etiquette unless they're deliberately attempting to deceive others. Three types of flags are commonly used on the water. *''Ensign:'' An ensign ship's domestic flag. For example, a Spiran ship would fly the Spira flag as its ensign. *''Courtesy:'' A courtesy flag is the flag of a foreign nation. A Spiran ship in Rikean waters would fly the Rikean flag as its courtesy flag. If the ships were engaged in battle with a Rikean ship, they would fly their ensign ship. *''Private Signal:'' A private signal is the personal flag of a particular ship or captain. This flag is usually the captain's personal emblem or the emblem of an organization. A Spiran Privateer must register his personal emblem before obtaining his letters of marque; this emblem appears on her private signal and helps the government track her ship. Flag Positions Ships use several common flag positions to signal their intentions. In domestic waters, a ship flies its ensign at the top of the mast. Beneath the ensign is the ship's private signal. A private signal flown alone means the ship considers itself unaffiliated with any government--in short, a pirate vessel. Pirate flags are generally flown alone. In foreign waters, a ship flies the courtesy flag at the top of the mast. Beneath the courtesy flag, the ship flies the ensign and beneath that, the private signal. Flying an ensign without a courtesy flag in foreign waters is seen as a declaration of hostile intent. On ships without a flagpole, the ensign is always hoisted aft, as close to the stern as possible. The courtesy flag, if any, is flown fore (close to the bow) and the private signal is flown amidships. A flag flown upside-down is a signal of distress. Pirate Gear While pirates wield a wide variety of weapons and items--and carry even more plundered gear in the hulls of their ships--certain types of gear have become associated with them over the years, usually for the items' utility at sea. Pirate gear is rarely bought; money is better saved to be used on shore for food, drink and soft company. Instead, the majority of pirate equipment and gear is taken from defeated foes as a part of their portion of treasure. Weapons Pirates choose their weapons carefully. Style factors into this decision--most pirates want to look as fierce as possible, as an enemy who immediately surrenders is always preferable to one you have to kill. Practical considerations, however, factor in as well; some weapons are simply better suited to maritime combat than others. *'''Bayonet: Bayonets are close-combat weapons designed to fit into the grooves of crossbows. They allow the wielder to use their ranged weapon effectively like a small spear. However, doing so makes them useless as ranged weapons until the bayonet is removed. Such weapons are often favored by pirates, who like the weapon's utility and capability to allow them to carry fewer weapons into battle. Favored by pirates who engage primarily in marksmanship. *'Boarding Axe:' A sturdy handle with a backward-pointing spike, a boarding axe is used to chop through hatches or rigging, to drag burning debris off a ship or as a brutally efficient weapon. Also known as "Mincers", for their preclusion to damaging the eye. A boarding axe also makes it easier to climb wooden surfaces. *'Boarding Gaff:' A gaff hook is a long pole with a hook on one end for spearing fish. Pirates often add extra, heavier hooks to both ends of gaff hooks to assist with boarding actions. After the pirates use grappling hooks to draw ships closer together, they hook the gunwales together with boarding gaffs to prevent the ships from drifting. Smaller craft sometimes use gaffs instead of grappling hooks. *'Boarding Pike:' A boarding pike is an 8-foot long pole topped with a foot-long tapered metal tip. Boarding pikes look much like longspears, but the metal pike is designed to flow into the wooden haft, leaving no grooves, collars or spikes that could trap salt water and cause rust. Boarding pikes are kept in brackets around the mast, so sailors can quickly grab pikes and brace them against the gunwale to repel boarders. *'Brass Knife:' Pirates often carry long brass knives for working aboard a ship. Though brass doesn't hold as sharp an edge as steel, it isn't vulnerable to rust like steel is. In a pinch, a pirate can use this tool as a weapon. Mostly, though, they're used for cutting ropes, cleaning fish and other sundry tasks. *'Cat-O'-Nine-Tails:' A short whip made of knotted thongs about 3 feet in length, designed to lacerate and inflict great pain. *'Cutlass:' A cutlass is a short, curves sword with a single sharp edge. Pirates favor the cutlass because the blade is sharp enough to cut through rigging and enemies, but is short enough to use in crowded shipboard melees. *'Grappling Hook:' A grappling hook is usually used to draw ships together, but can be used as a crude, violent ranged weapon in a pinch. *'Harpoon:' A harpoon is a long, barbed spear with an attached rope about 50 feet in length. It is often used in whaling, but is an efficient weapon. If an enemy survives the attack, the wielder can use the rope to pull the target closer. Removing a harpoon improperly often does serious damage and leads to intense bleeding. *'Hook Hand:' Pirates who lose a hand in the course of their adventures sometimes attach hooks to their wrists. These hook hands generally do not interfere with daily activities, unless one constantly picks their nose. Animals Due to the myriad of ports they drop anchor in, pirates encounter people, cultures and animals from all over the world. Many pirate ships have a "mascot" or "totem animal" on board that they picked up in a port. Some pirates or sailors have their own, personal pets, as well. Parrots, monkeys and small dogs are the most common animals to find aboard a pirate vessel. Religion Pirates usually do not have any official religious affiliation; ie, they are often not clerics or otherwise priest (although Privateer ships usually have a cleric on board). They are, however, very superstitious and operate on a lot of omens, throwing dice, flipping coins and other such rituals. Those pirates who do follow one of the gods typically revere Fharlanghn, the god of travels; Obad-Hai, the impartial god of nature; or Kord, the god of storms and battle'. '''Some worship '''Oliddimmara', the god of trickery, parties and trysts. Some still pay respects to Melora, a being who is said to be a Saint or Angel to a nature deity (though nobody is sure who). Many ships have a symbol of Melora on board, for luck.